This is too funny. I figured some conservative knucklehead blowhards 'reported' on restaurants in Seattle closing because of $15/hr., which hasn't started yet, BTW. Anyway, the knucklehead blowhards who 'reported' on those specific restaurants never bothered to reach out to the owners. Lo and behold, the knucklehead blowhards didn't know WTF they were talking about. Need proof? A real reporter interviewed those owners.

You can read the full story through the link below, but since at least one clown won't be bothered to, I'll quote the sections dealing with those joints. Oh, and worry about your own shitty city. We're doing just fine here. Thanks.

Renee Erickson is closing Boat Street Cafe, her first restaurant, but she runs three others and is in the process of opening two more. Asked in an email about the closure being associated with $15, she replied: “That’s weird, ha. No, that’s not why I’m closing Boat Street. Would have said so.”

Erickson continued, “I’m totally on board with the $15 min. It’s the right thing to do … Opening more businesses would not be smart if I felt it was going to hinder my success.”

Little Uncle proprietors Poncharee Kounpungchart (who goes by PK) and Wiley Frank are closing one location, having found the space unsuitable after two years, while remaining open on Capitol Hill and considering new opportunities.

“We were never interviewed for these articles and we did not close our … location due to the new minimum wage,” Kounpungchart and Frank said in an email. “We do not know what our colleagues are doing to prepare themselves for the onset of the new law, but pre-emptively closing a restaurant seven years before the full effect of the law takes place seems preposterous to us.”

Frank went so far as to send a note to the author of the Washington Policy Center post saying, “Our business model is conducive to the changing times and we would appreciate it if you did not make assumptions about our business to promote your political values.”

Shanik proprietor Meeru Dhalwala, who is also mentioned by Seattle Magazine, said in a Facebook message, “My closure is strictly due to location — nothing to do with wages.”

Sharon Fillingim, the owner of Grub, the final restaurant referenced, said on Facebook that Grub was “a huge success.” In fact, the restaurant was sold and is reopening imminently under new ownership as Bounty Kitchen.

Is this an unusual number of restaurant closures for Seattle? In February alone last year, before the Seattle City Council approved $15, Madison Park Conservatory, Marché, Belle Clementine, Azteca in Ballard and B&O Espresso in Ballard closed. The beginning of the year — after the flurry of dining and drinking and spending of the holidays, with taxes looming — is a tough time for the business. Just two prominent closures in Seattle in February could be interpreted as a sign of restaurant industry health. Indeed, 27 new bars and restaurants opened on Capitol Hill alone in 2014.

Like the owners would really come out and admit they are closing due to the minimum wage hike. And like they'd wait until the actual date the hike went in place to leave.

There will be more. And you will figure it out.

You don't pay a fvcking dishwaster 30,000 a year. That's not a sustainable business.

Saluki has zero business acumen and even less common sense but this was a sweet malt.

Enough restaurant owners have bitched about the $15/hour wage that I'm pretty sure at least some would say so if this was the reason.

This is about morons who just make assumptions based on what they believe and calling it news more than it is about the actual sustainability of paying this wage (which can be it's own discussion and which does raise legit questions).

Like the owners would really come out and admit they are closing due to the minimum wage hike. And like they'd wait until the actual date the hike went in place to leave.

There will be more. And you will figure it out.

You don't pay a fvcking dishwaster 30,000 a year. That's not a sustainable business.

Saluki has zero business acumen and even less common sense but this was a sweet malt.

I was the GM of a bar and grill for a little more than a year before I decided 70-hour weeks weren't really for me. Started there as a bartender. When I took over it was a mess and we didn't sell food. I created an inventory and ordering system. I opened the kitchen, priced and created a food menu. I hired and fired people, did scheduling and promotions, booked entertainment and dealt with the cigarette sales and jukebox/poker machine crooks. Took the business from $250K in revenue to $750K revenue and increased the owner's profits. Other than that, no experience in the restaurant/bar industry.

I was the GM of a bar and grill for a little more than a year before I decided 70-hour weeks weren't really for me. Started there as a bartender. When I took over it was a mess and we didn't sell food. I created an inventory and ordering system. I opened the kitchen, priced and created a food menu. I hired and fired people, did scheduling and promotions, booked entertainment and dealt with the cigarette sales and jukebox/poker machine crooks. Took the business from $250K in revenue to $750K revenue and increased the owner's profits. Other than that, no experience in the restaurant/bar industry.

Dude. Tudo knows everything about everything all the time.

Logged

Turd - I have never really bought into the genius that is Turd. I know he is well loved and considered a great poster. His brand of humor just doesn't do it for me.